Malnutrition stays one of many main challenges hindering Rwanda’s improvement ambitions, significantly because it contributes to little one stunting and negatively impacts youngsters’s schooling and total well-being.
Addressing this situation requires collective efforts from each private and non-private establishments.
It’s on this context that SKOL Brewery Ltd, in partnership with FXB Rwanda, launched a tree distribution initiative aimed toward serving to communities struggle malnutrition whereas additionally defending the surroundings.
The initiative falls below a programme titled “Selling Meals Self-Sufficiency to Enhance Group Livelihoods.”
By way of this programme, 2,300 households from the districts of Gakenke and Nyabihu are anticipated to obtain 23,868 seedlings that may contribute to combating malnutrition and environmental degradation in Rwanda’s Northern and Western Provinces.
Total, the seedlings to be distributed below the programme embody 13,725 fruit bushes supposed to enhance family diet, in addition to 10,143 agroforestry bushes that may assist forestall soil erosion and assist environmental conservation.
On Might 21, 2026, SKOL Brewery Ltd and FXB Rwanda formally launched the initiative in Kivuruga Sector, Gakenke District, the place 12,407 bushes have been distributed throughout the first part. The programme is predicted to proceed in Nyabihu District within the coming days.
The Director of FXB Rwanda, Emmanuel Kayitana, stated every chosen family will obtain round 10 bushes.
“Every family will obtain roughly 10 bushes in order that households can have direct entry to fruits with out essentially buying them from the market, enabling them to realize adequate fruit consumption at family degree,” he stated.
He additionally thanked SKOL Brewery Ltd for partnering within the initiative, describing it as an essential resolution in addressing malnutrition and environmental challenges within the focused districts.
The Head of Company Social Duty and Public Relations at SKOL Brewery Ltd, Emilienne Benurugo, stated the initiative was launched to assist communities in addressing key social challenges affecting them.
“We respect SKOL’s management for constantly supporting authorities programmes aimed toward enhancing the welfare of Rwandans. SKOL is an organization working in Rwanda and using Rwandans, which is why we consider the influence of what we do ought to profit the broader neighborhood by serving to tackle challenges equivalent to malnutrition and different social points,” she stated.
The Vice Mayor of Gakenke District in command of Financial Growth, Aimé François Niyonsenga, urged residents to correctly look after the bushes with the intention to obtain the anticipated outcomes.
“I encourage you to take excellent care of those bushes, keep them correctly, and guarantee they’re protected in order that they’ll ship the supposed advantages,” he stated.
He added that past serving to to struggle malnutrition, the bushes would additionally contribute considerably to environmental safety in Gakenke District, an space characterised by steep hills and incessantly affected by pure disasters.
“Planting bushes will assist cut back soil erosion and enhance agricultural productiveness, which has typically been affected by disasters that often influence our district,” he famous.
Consolate Akingeneye, a resident of Gasiza Cell in Kivuruga Sector, stated the neighborhood has lengthy confronted little one stunting challenges, however expressed optimism that the fruit tree seedlings would assist cut back the issue.
“We actually wanted this assist as a result of when a toddler eats a balanced weight-reduction plan complemented by fruits and nuts, they can develop wholesome,” she stated.
In keeping with the 2025 Rwanda Demographic and Well being Survey (DHS 7), the kid stunting price in Gakenke District stands at 26 per cent.
